Athletics

SALISBURY athlete Brian Gillo is heading to Spain after winning the shot putt at the British Masters Athletic Federation's event at Kelvin Hall, Glasgow last month.

The 56-year-old school teacher threw 12.31m and will now represent Great Britain at the European Masters Championships in San Sebastian later this month.

Simon's a sole man

A RUNNING shoe shop in Salisbury is certainly making great strides with sportsmen and women in the area.

Runners of all ages and standards clearly appreciate the personalised service offered by Simon Royle's Sole Obsession, in Harnham Road.

I first visited Sole Obsession just before Christmas and was full of enthusiasm for taking up running again.

I walked into the shop thinking that I just needed a pair of running shoes and was impressed with the time and expertise that Simon devoted to finding the right pair of shoes for me.

Simon has always loved sport: "I took up running after having played rugby and taking part in triathlons.

"I first become involved with sport as a career in 1995 when I joined Moon-rakers Health Club in Salisbury as a fitness instructor. This was a complete career change for me as I originally trained as an insurance underwriter."

At Moonrakers he began personal trainer coaching and took over the running of the club's junior squash section.

"It was only when Moon-rakers was sold to LA Fitness that my wife and I decided to travel and spent the next seven months touring South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. This gave me plenty of time to think about my future," he added.

"With my background in fitness and sports coaching I decided that this was what I wanted to pursue and realised there was a gap in the area for a dedicated shoe shop for runners. Beginners in particular need the right advice on the correct running shoe for their needs."

Simon, who will be running next month's London Marathon, said: "I foresee a massive running boom in the next few years. Paula Radcliffe is a huge inspiration, particularly to women, but unfortunately not everyone runs like her, and different types of shoe are needed depending on running style."

This is where the treadmill, the television video link and the foot measuring service comes in to play.

"Ideally, a customer will pop on the treadmill with their existing running shoes. This will indicate how their foot strikes the ground and which part bears the heaviest burden. Often a runner will need built in heel support and my aim is to fit shoes with the right support and comfort to help people avoid injury."

Simon still coaches squash at two schools in the area as well as continuing his personal trainer coaching.

In the spring, he is planning to start a beginners runners group from his shop to encourage more people to take up the sport. "Running is a cheap form of exercise and an excellent calorie burner, but you do need the right gear."